International fellowships support undergraduate or graduate study, research, creative arts projects, English teaching, or other types of professional development abroad. These fellowships are typically sponsored by governments and international agencies to promote cross-cultural exchange, academic collaboration, and/or the development of global leaders.
Deep Engagement in Cross-Cultural Exchange
Many international fellowships have a common focus on fostering international understanding and cross-cultural exchange. Living and studying abroad helps students gain a broader perspective and appreciation for different cultures. While program details differ, they often include language training, cultural immersion programs, and host community engagement activities. Navigating new environments and challenges also fosters personal growth and self-reliance.
Many fellowships encourage projects that address global challenges, such as sustainability, public health, education, technological advancement, or security and conflict resolution, allowing students to contribute to meaningful change.
Additional Benefits:
These fellowships also seek to remove barriers and broaden access to international education opportunities. To allow students to focus on their goals of learning and immersion in the culture, regardless of their income, international fellowships typically offer fairly comprehensive funding. Many of these awards support the majority of program costs (e.g. tuition/fees), student visa applications, health and accident insurance coverage, and/or living expenses such as housing, food, and transportation.
Eligibility Notes:
Most international fellowships are designed to encourage Americans to go abroad early in their careers and form lasting relationships with other nations to enhance international collaboration; thus, many of these awards only allow applications from U.S. citizens.
Class year is determined by intended graduation date, not coursework units completed. Individuals whose plans do not exactly fit a four-year degree plan can refer to these guidelines.
- A first year (or freshman) will graduate between December and August, three or more academic years from now.
- A sophomore will graduate between December and August, two academic years from now.
- A junior will graduate between December and August, one academic year from now.
- A graduating senior will receive a bachelor’s B.A. or B.A. degree between December and August in the current/upcoming academic year, and/or will proceed to master’s coursework if participating in a 4+1 degree plan.
- An alumnus/a has already received a bachelor’s (B.S. or B.A.) degree and is not currently enrolled in any academic degree program.
International Fellowships
Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship
Pell-eligible U.S. undergraduate students can receive up to $5,000 to study or intern abroad, plus an additional $3,000 for critical language study.
External deadlines (2): Early March; Early October.
Events & Advising: Late January – early March; Mid-August - Early October.
Boren Awards
Encourages U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to engage in long-term (a semester or more) study of languages and cultures deemed critical to U.S. national security interests.
External deadline: Late January.
Advising and Campus Nomination (by appointment): Late October – Mid-January.
Critical Language Scholarship
U.S. undergraduate and graduate students can learn one of fourteen critical languages and participate in cultural exchange through fully-funded summer study abroad or virtual programs.
External deadline: Mid-November.
Events & Advising: Mid-September – Mid-November.
DAAD German Academic Exchange
The DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) Academic Exchange, or German Academic Exchange Service, is the world’s second largest international educational exchange. It offers scholarships for undergraduate study abroad, undergraduate Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE), and graduate study in all major fields.
External deadlines: Varies by program.
Advising (by appointment): 6-12 weeks prior to your program deadline.
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
U.S. graduating seniors, alumni, or graduate students can spend a full academic year abroad building mutual understanding with other nations, while teaching English, conducting research or arts projects, or earning a graduate degree.
External deadline: Early October.
Events, Advising, and Campus Nomination: Mid-May – Late September.
Fulbright UK Summer Institutes
U.S. first and second-year undergraduates, who have little travel experience, can explore the culture and history of the UK through fully-funded, short term summer study abroad programs.
External deadline: February 1
Events & Advising: Mid-November – Late January.
International Graduate Fellowships
Additional awards to pursue graduate study abroad in the United Kingdom, Canada, China, and more are detailed in our guide to Graduate Fellowships.
